Signalling controlled system



Filed March 18, 1965 INVENTOR. El. l /E BY 0u* new EAM. 5eme, 65e@{Jaffe/v United States Patent 3,230,520 SIGNALLING CONTROLLED SYSTEM EliM. Lurie, 9349 Abbott Ave., Surfside, Fla. Filed Mar. 18, 1963, Ser. No.265,746 5 Claims. (Cl. 340-286) This invention relates to signallingsystems in general and more particularly relates to a novel system ofthis type for directing the performance of a number of operations in aparticular sequence.

Presently there are many business applications, in particular theoperation of hotels, which require the supervision of and signalling topersonnel at remote locations. More particularly, in a typical largesize hotel the room clerk should signal the cashier that a check-in hasoccurred, the cashier should signal the housekeeper and room clerk thata check-out has occurred, the housekeeper should signal the room clerkwhen a room is ready for occupancy, and in a special situation the roomclerk should be able to signal the housekeeper that a check-in has beenmade for a room which is not ready for occupancy. Typically, thissignalling between the room clerk, cashier and housekeeper isaccomplished by switching means which operate signal lamps.

The prior art has provided various arrangements for accomplishing one ormore of the functions noted above. However, in prior art arrangementsthe circuitry included relays and stepping switches. These devices, inaddition to making the initial installation very costly, are the sourcesof most of the operating troubles of the systems.

The instant invention overcomes these ditliculties of the prior art byproviding a system to accomplish all of the functions previously notedwithout the necessity of utilizing relays or stepping switches. Thearrangement is such that there is a low initial installation cost andservicing costs are reduced to a bare minimum.

In essence the signalling system of the instant invention comprisesthree double pole double throw switches for each room of the hotel. Oneof the switches is operable by the room clerk, a second switch isoperable by the cashier, and a third switch is operable by thehousekeeper. Colored lamps are provided to indicate room status.

The three switches are so arranged that when the lamps indicate that aroom is ready for occupancy, operation of the room clerks switch willchange the energization of the lamps to indicate that the room isoccupied. When the lamps indicate that a room is occupied, operation ofthe cashiers switch changes energization of the lamps to indicate that acheck-out has taken place and that the room should be made up. When thelamps indicate that the room is to be made up, operation of thehousekeepers switch changes the energization of the lamps to indicatethat the room has been made up and is ready for occupancy. However, ifat the time the lamps indicate that the room is to be made up and theroom clerks switch is operated the energization of the lamps is changedto indicate that a priority condition exists and that this room is to bemade up immediately.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide asignalling system of novel construction for reporting and directingwhich is less expensive and more reliable than similar systems of theprior art.

Another object is to provide a system of this type which does notrequire any relays or stepping switches.

Still another object is to provide a system of this type in which thereis a simple double pole double throw switch at each of three locationsconnectible in such a manner that four distinct signalling indicationsare obtainable.

A further object is to provide a signalling system of this 3,230,520yPatented Jan. 18, 1966 lCC type in which four different signals areobtainable with a three lamp group of indicators.

These as well as other objects of this invention shall become readilyapparent after reading the following description of the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an electrical schematic diagram showing a signalling systemconstructed in accordance with the teaching of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a room clerks control board for use with thecircuit of FIGURE 1.

Now referring to the figures. FIGURE 2 illustrates control board 20located at the room clerks station. Control board 2G is provided with aswitch 2BR, a red lamp 26K, a yellow lamp 27R, and a green lamp 28R foreach room of the hotel. A control board similar to control board 20 islocated at the cashiers station and another of these control boards islocated at the housekeepers station.

Particular attention is now directed to FIGURE 1 which shows the entirecircuit arrangement required for each room of the hotel. Each of thelamps 26R, 27R, andl 28R has one terminal connected to common bus 30.The other terminal of lamp 26K is connected to bus 31, the otherterminal of lamp 27R is connected to bus 32, and the other terminal oflamp 28R is connected to bus 33. Lamps 26C and 26H on the cashiers andhousekeepers control boards, respectively, are connected in parallelwith lamp 26R. Similarly lamps 27C and 27H are connected in parallelwith lamp 27R and lamps 28C and 28H are connected in parallel with lamp28R.

Each of the switches 25R, 25C and 25H are manually operated double poledouble throw units. Blade 44 of switch 2ER is operable to connect bus 33to either switch terminal 46 or switch terminal 47. Switch arm 45 is.ganged to switch arm 44 for simultaneous operation [therewith and isoperable to connect either switch termiual 48 or 49 to bus 39.

Switch arms 54 and 55 of switch 25C are ganged for simultaneousoperation. Arm 54 is operable to connect bus 32 either to switchterminal 56 or 57 while arm 55 is operable to connect bus 39 either toswitch terminal 58 or 59. Lead 71 connects switch terminals 57 and 49while lead '72 connects switch terminals 56 and 48.

Switch arms 64 and 65 of switch 25H are ganged for simultaneousoperation. Arm 64 is operable to connect either switch terminal 56 or 67to bus 31 while switch arm 65 is operable to connect bus 39 to eitherswitch terminal 68 or 69. Lead 73 connects switch terminals 67 and 59While lead 74 connects switch terminals 66 and 58. Bus 38 connectsswitch terminals 46 and 68 While bus 37 connects switch terminals 47 and61. I The signalling system is energized from A.C. source 81. Theprimary Winding 83 of transformer 82 is connected through switch 84 andfuse 85 across the terminals of source 81. Terminal 87 of transformersecondary 86 is connected directly to common bus 30 While terminal 88 ofsecondary winding 86 is connected directly to bus 39. With switches 25R,25C and 25H in the positions illustrated in FIGURE 1, terminal 88 oftransformer secondary 86 is connected from bus 39 through switch arm 45to terminal 48, through lead 72 to terminal 56, and through switch arm54 to bus 32. Thus, all of the yellow lamps 27R, 27C and 27H areenergized while all of the remaining lamps are deenergized. A yellowlamp is utilized to designate that the room has been rented.

When the party renting the room goes to the cashier and checks out thecashier operates switch 25C and by so doing disconnects bus 32 fromsecondary terminal 88 and connects bus 31 to secondary terminal 88.Under these conditions all of the red lamps 26R, 26C and 26R areenergized. This indicates that a check-out has taken place and the roomin question is to be prepared for the next occupancy.

After the room in question has been made up the housekeepers switch 25His operated. Keeping in mind that Aswitch blades 54 and 55 remain inengagement with terininals 57 and 59, respectively, operation of switch25H disconnects bus 31 from secondary terminal S8 and connects bus 33 tosecondary terminal 88. Thus, all of the green lamps are now lighted toindicate that the room is ready for occupancy and all of the yellow andred lamps are extinguished.

At the time the room clerk rents the room he operates switch 25R.Keeping in mind that switch arms 54, 55, 64 and 65 are in engagementwith terminals 57, 59, 67 and 69, respectively, it is seen that bus 33is disconnected from terminal 88 and bus 32 is connected to terminal 88so that the yellow lamps 27R, 27C and 27H are again lighted and the redand green lamps are extinguished.

At the next check-out the cashier operates switch 25C back to theposition illustratedin FIGURE 1 thereby extinguishing the yellow Ilampsand energizing the red lamps 26R, 26C and 26H.

Thus, it follows that with the red lamps lighted operation of switch 25Hextinguishes the red lamps and lights the green lamps, with the greenlamps lighted operation of switch 25R is effective to extinguish thegreen lamps and energize the yellow lamps, and with the yellow lampslighted operation of switch 25C is effective to extinguish the yellowlamps and energize the red lamps.

In addition, an emergency condition may arise. That is, a guest mayarrive for check-in after the prior guest has checked out but before theroom is ready for occupancy. Under these conditions the room clerk mustsignal the housekeeper in a special manner. This condition arises withthe red lamps energized. At this time if switch ZSR is operated allthree of the buses 3133 will be connected to secondary terminal S8 sothat all of the lamps will light simultaneously.

It is apparent that when the room clerk and cashier are one and the sameor when they are located very close to one another, a set of lamps, saylamps 26C, 27C and 28C may be eliminated. In addition certain of thelamps may be eliminated from a particular station. For example, lamp 28Cmay be eliminated from a particular installation since it is not alwaysessential that the cashier be appraised that a room is Iready foroccupancy.

Thus, this invention provides a simple inexpensive and reliablesignalling system of the type especially adapted for hotel operations.The system is such that all expensive and bulky components have beeneliminated with the only switching elements comprising simple manuallyoperated double pole throw switches.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novelinvention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited,not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended 'claimsThe embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege orproperty is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A signalling system including a first, a second, a third, a fourth, afifth and a sixth switch section; a first and a second indicator means;a power source; each of said switch sections being manually operablebetween a first and a second position; first and second circuit meanseach connecting said source to said first indicator means forenergization of the latter; said first circuit means including saidfirst and said fourth switch sections each in its said first position;said second circuit means including said first and said fourth switchmeans each in its said second position; third and fourth circuit meanseach connecting said source to said second indicator means forenergization of the latter; said third circuit means inc-luding saidthird and said sixth switch sections each in its said first position;said fourth circuit means including said third and said sixth switchsections each in its said second position; first means connecting saidfirst and said second switch sections together for simultaneousoperation; second means connecting said third and fourth switch sectionstogether for simultaneous operation; third means connecting said fifthand sixth switch sections together for simultaneous operation.

2. A signalling system as set forth in claim 1 also including a thirdindicator means; fifth and sixth circuit means each connecting saidsource to said third indicator means for energization of the latter;said fifth circuit means including said second and said fifth switchsections each in its said first position; said sixth circuit meansincluding said second and said fifth switch sections each in each saidsecond position whereby only one of said indicator means is energized ata given time unless all of said switch sections are simultaneously intheir correspondingly designated said first or said second position andin the latter event all of said indicator means are energizedsimultaneously.

3. A signalling system as set forth in claim 2 in which said first andsecond switch sections constitute different poles of a first double poledouble throw switch, said third and fourth switch sections constitutedifferent poles of a second double pole double throw switch and saidfifth and said sixth switch sections constitute different poles of athird double pole double throw switch.

4. A signalling system as set forth in claim 4 in which each of saidswitches is located at a different control panel, each of said controlpanels disposed at locations remote from one another.

5. A signalling system as set forth in claim 4 in which said firstindicator means includes a visual indicator located at the control panelhaving said first switch thereat, said second indicator means includesanother visual indicator located at the control panel having said secondswitch thereat, and said third indicator means includes a further visualindicator located at the control panel having said third switch thereat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,268,240 12/1941Brixner 340-332 2,659,838 l1/l953 Durocher 340-332 X 3,155,957 ll/1964Parissi 340-332 NEIL C. READ, Primary Examiner.

R, M. GOLDMAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SIGNALLING SYSTEM INCLUDING A FIRST, A SECOND, A THIRD, A FOURTH, AFIFTH AND A SIXTH SWITCH SECTION; A FIRST AND A SECOND INDICATOR MEANS;A POWER SOURCE; EACH OF SAID SWITCH SECTIONS BEING MANUALLY OPERABLEBETWEEN A FIRST AND A SECOND POSITION; FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUIT MEANSEACH CONNECTING SAID SOURCE TO SAID FIRST INDICATOR MEANS FORENERGIZATION OF THE LATTER; SAID FIRST CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING SAIDFIRST AND SAID FOURTH SWITCH SECTIONS EACH IN ITS SAID FIRST POSITION;SAID SECOND CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING SAID FIRST AND SAID FOURTH SWITCHMEANS EACH IN ITS SAID SECOND POSITION; THIRD AND FOURTH CIRCUIT MEANSEACH CONNECTING SAID SOURCE TO SAID SECOND INDICATOR MEANS FORENERGIZATION OF THE LATTER; SAID THIRD CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING SAIDTHRID AND SAID SIXTH SWITCH SECTIONS EACH IN ITS SAID FIRST POSITION;SAID FOURTH CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING SAID THIRD AND SAID SIXTH SWITCHSECTIONS EACH IN ITS SAID